Olanzapine-induced weight gain is associated with a general increase in caloric intake.

Children differ from adults in many muscular performance attributes such as size-normalized strength and power, endurance, fatigability and the recovery from exhaustive exercise, to name just a few. Metabolic attributes, such as glycolytic capacity, substrate utilization, and VO2 kinetics also differ markedly between children and adults. Various factors, such as dimensionality, intramuscular synchronization, agonist-antagonist coactivation, level of volitional activation, or muscle composition, can explain some, but not all of the observed differences. It is hypothesized that, compared with adults, children are substantially less capable of recruiting or fully employing their higher-threshold, type-II motor units. The review presents and evaluates the wealth of information and possible alternative factors in explaining the observations. Although conclusive evidence is still lacking, only this hypothesis of differential motor-unit activation in children and adults, appears capable of accounting for all observed child-adult differences, whether on its own or in conjunction with other factors.

Testing for selection is one of the most important fundamentals in any multistep sport program. In most ball games, coaches assess motor, physical, and technical skills on a regular basis in early stages of talent identification and development. However, selection processes are complex, are often unstructured, and lack clear-cut theory-based knowledge. For example, little is known about the relevance of the testing process to the final selection of the young prospects. The purpose of this study was to identify motor, physical, and skill variables that could provide coaches with relevant information in the selection process of young team handball players. In total, 405 players (12-13 years of age at the beginning of the testing period) were recommended by their coaches to undergo a battery of tests prior to selection to the Junior National Team. This number is the sum of all players participating in the different phases of the program. However, not all of them took part in each testing phase. The battery included physical measurements (height and weight), a 4 x 10-m running test, explosive power tests (medicine ball throw and standing long jump), speed tests (a 20-m sprint from a standing position and a 20-m sprint with a flying start), and a slalom dribbling test. Comparisons between those players eventually selected to the Junior National Team 2-3 years later with those not selected demonstrated that only the skill test served as a good indicator. In all other measurements, a wide overlap could be seen between the results of the selected and nonselected players. It is suggested that future studies investigate the usefulness of tests reflecting more specific physical ability and cognitive characteristics.

Children recover from physical exertion faster than adults, especially, from high-intensity exercise. It is argued that, qualitatively, this is due mainly to dimensional differences but that, predominantly, it is a quantitative difference, stemming from the lower relative power children can generate and from which they need to recover. Children's lesser power capacity is, in turn, likely due to maturation-dependent neuromotor differences.

Thermoregulation during exposure to hot or cold environments differs between children and adults. Many physical and physiological changes occur during growth and maturation that can affect thermoregulation during rest as well as during exercise. Thus, physical as well as physiological differences between children and adults may explain the different response to thermal stress. The main physical difference between children and adults affecting thermoregulation is the much higher surface-area-to-mass ratio of children. In a warm environment this allows them to rely more on dry heat loss and less on evaporative cooling. However, in extreme conditions, hot or cold, the greater surface-area-to-mass ratio results in a higher rate of heat absorption or heat loss, respectively. The lower body fat in girls compared with women provides lower insulation and presents a disadvantage in a cold environment. The smaller blood volume in children compared with adults, even relative to body size, may limit the potential for heat transfer during heat exposure and may compromise exercise performance in the heat. The main physiological difference between children and adults is in the sweating mechanism, affecting their thermoregulation in the heat, but not in the cold. The lower sweating rate characteristic of children is due to a lower sweating rate per gland and not to a lower number of sweat glands. In fact, children are characterised by a higher density of heat-activated sweat glands. The lower sweating rate per gland may be explained by the smaller sweat gland size, a lower sensitivity of the sweating mechanism to thermal stimuli and, possibly, a lower sweat gland metabolic capacity. Other physiological differences between children and adults that may affect thermoregulation include metabolic, circulatory and hormonal disparities. The higher metabolic cost of locomotion in children provides an added strain on the thermoregulatory system during exercise in the heat. On the other hand, during acute exposure to cold it may prove advantageous by increasing heat production. Circulatory differences, such as a lower cardiac output at any given exercise intensity and the lower haemoglobin concentration in boys compared with men, are likely to increase the cardiovascular strain during exercise in the heat, although their effects in a cold environment are unknown. Finally, testosterone and prolactin are 2 hormones that differ in baseline levels between children and adults and may affect sweat gland function and sweat composition. These possible effects need to be further investigated. The effectiveness of thermoregulation is reflected by the stability of core temperature. In a thermoneutral environment, children are characterised by a similar rectal temperature and a higher skin temperature when compared with adults. The latter may reflect the higher reliance on dry heat loss compared with evaporative cooling in children. In a hot environment, children's body temperatures are higher compared with adults while walking and running but not ne...